20251218 Japan, Takayama to Hakaba

 20251218 Unfortunately our time in Takayama has come to an end as we pack the car and pile in to head to our next destination, Hakaba, a renowned ski resort. We hit the coast passing Kurobe when we spotted a tsunami wall that stretches for hundreds of kilometre long the Tohoku coast. Passing the Onashirazu Cliff and turned off at Itocgawa Ono for a quick visit to the 7 Eleven. Back on the road again we follow the Himekawa River through many tunnels. The tunnels are great only you miss a lot of sites along the way but Phil’s, perspective is, it’s better than a landslide falling on us. The mountains tops covered in snow appear in the distance as we edge closer to the town of Hakaba, it’s so pretty. As we walk into our accomodation the room was filled with the warmth of the fire thanks to the owner. Once we retrieved our suit cases and picked our rooms Hamish and Owen hit the snow.

After the devastating 2011 tsunami, Japan rebuilt with massive coastal defenses. They created the 395 km Great Tsunami Wall, reaching up to 14.7 metres high and 25 metres deep in some areas. Japan also planted 9 million trees to form the Great Forest Wall, helping slow waves and trap debris.

Wow! Check out this construction, now this I wish we could have seen.

The Cliffs of Oyashirazu, once considered the most dangerous part of the Hokuriku Road, where travellers squeezed between steep cliffs and rough seas. Known as “Tenka no Ken” — “The Most Dangerous Crossing Under Heaven”, the area later gained a narrow road in the late 1800s. Today, the old route is a scenic walking trail called the Oyashirazu Community Road.

After a 4 hour trip the boys were ready for a rumble in the snow, so they built a snow ring to slide through, very inventive boys.

Our boys frolic in the snow.

Our road trip from Takayama to Hakaba

Sharyn and I made a daring escape to the grocery store in search of supplies (and possibly sanity). After a combined effort at decoding the language — part guessing game, part interpretive dance — we filled our trolley like seasoned pros and rolled up to the checkout… which is nothing like back home. 

Here, a checkout girl scans your items, then you’re politely shuffled along to another counter to pay, like some kind of supermarket relay race. With a bit of pointing, smiling, and universal sign language — and a few hundred dollars later — we headed home to unpack. Honestly, feeding these boys is like stocking a small nation… they’re a bottomless pit!

The Christmas decoration are on display as I stroll the streets, this was actually just next door. 

Merry Christmas to all, see ya on the 25th.

20251219 Their first day on the slopes — fingers crossed for soft, fluffy snow instead of the face-plant variety. After the usual round of nagging (and what felt like a full negotiation process), the boys finally wriggled into their snow gear and headed off full of excitement. Meanwhile, Grandma stayed back with Ash, who — true to form — decided to get properly, spectacularly sick just before we arrived in Hakuba… exactly like last time. Honestly, what are the odds? You couldn’t plan that level of timing if you tried!

Sharyn models her padded snow pants with the built-in booty armour—because gravity and ice, you just don’t mess with. She then turns sideways and does a little dance while showing off her butt pants, she’s such a nutter.

There they go up the slopes in the chair lift, have fun guys.

Hamish and Dad hit the slopes — and seeing as Dad’s been snowboarding since dinosaurs roamed the earth (or at least that’s what he’d have you believe), Hamish definitely has some serious competition. But credit where it’s due — he’s getting better with every trip, chasing Dad down the mountain and keeping him on his toes… or at least trying to keep up without eating too much snow!

Mum and the little turd, Owie, teamed up to brave the chairlift, sitting patiently (well… mostly) as they waited to be whisked up to the top of the slopes. There’s nothing quite like dangling above the snow with a tiny sidekick — equal parts bonding moment and mild survival exercise!

20251222 This totally brought back memories of Guy Fawkes nights in the ’60s and ’70s, when bonfires roared and fireworks made the sky scream — and us kids couldn’t get enough of it. So, of course, when we spotted fireworks at the local store, the inner pyromaniacs in us took over. I’m sure we convinced ourselves it was for the boys’ benefit… but really, it was mostly for us!

Guy Fawkes night in Hakaba

Phil cooks up his last feed as Sharyn and I prepair for a nice soak in an Onsen then dinner leaving the rest of the crew in their Dads hands.

Now that’s what I call a big sausage, but it’s actually a Boerewors, a traditional South African sausage made from a mixture of beef, pork, and spices, and I have no idea how it tastes because there is no way I’m eating that.

BRING ON THE ONSEN